Young star is set to shine

Anna Smith

A musical treat is in store for concert-goers to support a rising star.

Tenor Richard Pinkstone will present An Evening of Song at St George’s United Reformed Church in Morpeth, alongside soprano Eleanor Dann.

The concert, which will include a variety of songs and excerpts from operas and musicals, will raise funds to support Richard in his forthcoming studies at the Royal College of Music (RCM).

The former Goosehill First School pupil has become a well-known performer in his hometown since first finding his singing voice while a pupil at Newminster Middle School.

Under the direction of Carol Gardiner, he performed in the school’s popular touring choir, and when he moved on to King Edward VI School he became a member of the KEVI Chamber Choir, learning from Head of Music Robin Forbes and Heather Harrison.

He also began lessons with local singing teacher Claire Roxby, and was awarded the Morpeth Music Society Scholarship as most promising young musician.

Richard has performed with the National Youth Choir since 2009, and has graduated from York University with a BA in Music.

He has now been offered a place on the RCM’s two-year Masters course in vocal performance, starting next month, and already studies with RCM Professor Tim Evans Jones.

He also sings with the National Youth Chamber Choir, recently touring the United States.

The singer has performed a number of operatic roles, particularly Mozart pieces, and in July starred in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortileges with the Samling Academy at The Sage, Gateshead.